Statewatch Criticizes UK’s Murder Prediction System

A report by the NGO Statewatch has raised concerns over the UK Justice Ministry’s use of algorithms to predict potential murders. The system analyzes sensitive data from up to 500,000 individuals, including victims, witnesses, and people with mental health issues. The data analysis is conducted at the “Data Science Hub,” with internal documents suggesting its future operational use. The project, once called “Homicide Prediction,” relies on personal data such as birth dates, ethnicity, health status, and criminal history. Statewatch argues that the use of health markers related to mental health, addiction, or disability could be discriminatory and calls for an immediate halt to the project, which the government defends as purely scientific.